Join us for another down-to-earth conversation packed with wisdom and humor! Dan Cooper interviews Levi Messer on his movement from a trailblazing, sales-superhero style of leadership to something more collaborative, humble, and sustainable. One key takeaway: the value (and necessity) of a strong operating system!
Learn how Levi grew personally and professionally, built a strong leadership team, and embraced a mission to change people's eternity through his work. Discover insights and practical advice for business owners looking to achieve sustainable success.
0:08 - 1:26
Dan Cooper welcomes listeners to the day's episode, which focuses on the topic: "How to stop making messes on purpose inside your business" and the value of an operating system. He introduces Levi Messer, owner of Messer Construction, who is described as transitioning from a sales superhero founder to a sustainable, profitable operating company leader. Levi describes his business of framing apartments, a niche market which he initially launched to make money while pursuing ministry work.
1:27 - 3:43
Levi shares his origin story:
At 17, he felt a call to ministry and his father advised him to get a degree in a field where he could make money and work with his hands.
He earned a bachelor's in construction management and attended seminary, enjoying the concept of bivocational ministry.
Levi started his first business in seminary in Texas, then launched Messer Construction 12 years ago in Kansas City, focusing initially on remodeling kitchens and bathrooms with a goal of building large buildings.
Levi acknowledges that his ability to sell was instrumental in his success. His sales skills led to rapid growth but created operational challenges as he was the main bottleneck. This led to a pivotal moment of needing to change his approach.
3:44 - 9:19
Levi discusses his fear of letting go of control, worrying that revealing the company's challenges to his team would drive them away. Instead, it resulted in greater buy-in from his team!
The company's financial situation during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Levi explains it was a challenge to take a non-emotional look at numbers as a highly emotional person, but personal tragedies had left him less inclined to fight, allowing others to step up and help. This shift in perspective led to more strategic, long-term planning, transitioning from a 20-day vision to a 20-year vision, a difficult but necessary process. The company began implementing sustainable processes and shifting leadership responsibilities.
Levi shares the importance of recognizing he wasn't the smartest in every room. He brought in a consultant and trusted his team more, making collective decisions. This led to greater success and trust in his team's capabilities. The first time his team told him "no," Levi describes his initial reaction as a "temper tantrum" - but over time, seeing his team succeed validated his trust in them.
9:20 - 11:00
Levi reflects on realizing that although he had gotten his company to where it was, he could not sustain it there on his own. He needed a team with better tools or risk shrinking the company back down, so he chose growth and the challenge of sustainable scaling.
11:00 - 13:32
Levi adopted a mission statement to "change people's eternity" a few years ago, aiming to reach a specific size and level in order to effectively fulfill this mission. He recognized that achieving this scale is necessary to support the infrastructure required for day-to-day operations and growth towards their mission. Reflecting on leadership changes within the organization, he notes that some individuals stepped up while others departed. This transition allowed for a clearer cultural alignment within the team. Levi recalls a pivotal moment when they had to let go of an employee due to cultural differences. Despite the difficulty of this decision, it enabled clearer communication of expectations and cultural values within the team.
13:33 - 19:29
As the organization evolved, the remaining team members became more proactive and assertive in their roles, fostering a deeper sense of leadership and responsibility among them. Levi describes how he strives to balance his involvement in day-to-day operations with a focus on strategic leadership and team development, emphasizing the importance of humility in leadership and the ongoing process of personal growth and improvement. He describes his own walk with coaching, building good habits, working to be present, and trusting the team.
19:30 - 27:31
Levi discusses the company's motto, "changing people's eternity," and its impact on his leadership approach, and talks about balancing his business acumen with his personal faith and values in a secular industry. He describes his approach to leadership as a form of discipleship, focusing on personal growth and mentorship and discusses the challenges and rewards of coaching his team to improve leadership skills and succession planning. Transformation can take a long time!
27:32 - 28:22
The show closes out with Levi sharing his contact information at lmesserconstruction.com and Dan encouraging listeners to learn more at acumenimpact.com.